


Warmth

by Oxsix



Series: One-shots [3]
Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Bonding, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, In which Kitty acquires two (2) mums
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-12-28 13:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21137303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oxsix/pseuds/Oxsix
Summary: Jane and Catalina invite Kitty to come out with them, and Kitty can't fathom why.





	Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> In which I'm on a bit of a found family kick. Kitty has TWO mums and it's the hill I will die on.

Kitty should have known something was up from the get-go. There'd been to many convenient excuses to just have the three of them together. She should have just asked them what it was all about. But of course, in terms of saying what she's really thinking, Kitty is just as bad as Jane and Catalina are. 

They're all far too prone to skirting around the issue or putting on a mask of contentment. They haven't developed the knack for wearing their heart on their sleeve, like Anne has in this new life. They're all still stuck in the facade of court life.

Kitty's not out of touch with her feelings. She knows what she wants from the other women that make up her tentative group of new friends. She knows the role she desperately wants the two of them to play in her life; what she wants them to be to her. But she can't say it. And neither can they. They just don't know how.

So when Aragon asks Kitty if she'd like to spend the day out with the two of them, she doesn't ask any questions. She doesn't ask why the others aren't coming. She doesn't ask why they would want _her _there. She doesn't ask if they'd rather go alone; the two are close, and Kitty can't help but wonder if they've only invited her along out of pity.

She says yes, and she goes—because none of them are any good at saying what they want to say.

So, still feeling conflicted, she heads upstairs to get dressed. She closes the door behind her, leans against it and takes a deep breath. 

She's not sure what to wear. She hadn't thought to ask what they were going to do, and she doesn't remember either of them mentioning. She antagonises over it for a while; it's something she's grown rather good at, over the years.

She opts for something fairly simple, but not too scruffy—washed-out blue jeans, a black shirt, and a large pink flannel Anna had bought her. She's sure if they were going to do anything that would require more specific attire, they would have said so.

She heads downstairs, slightly cautious, still. Jane and Catalina are waiting at the bottom of the steps, both dressed in fairly similar attire. Kitty feels a rush of relief knowing her deductions had been correct. She hurries down to meet them, and they both smile warmly. It should be welcoming; it should make her feel at ease. But instead, it makes her more anxious.

Why are they being so kind to her? Why would they want her? It doesn't make sense and it makes her feel almost guilty. It's like they're going out of their way on her behalf and she can't understand what for.

They each collect their thicker coats from where they hang in the entryway of the house; the November weather has quickly grown quite bitter. Jane grabs a soft grey scarf and some gloves, while Catalina grabs the canary yellow scarf and bobble hat she'd bought with Anna (who naturally has a matching wine-red set). Kitty throws her winter coat on and hopes it will be warm enough, she doesn't want to hold them up by going upstairs to fetch her own hat and scarf.

So, she follows them to the car with her down, as the two of them talk animatedly about how they might spend the day. She doesn't join the conversation; she knows they wouldn't want her to. She gets into the car, and sits quietly as the radio hums to life, and Jane and Catherine continue their upbeat conversation. 

It's a few moments of them sitting idling in the driveway before Kitty realises that both women are turned to look at her.

"Well?" Jane asks, expectantly. They both look a little unsure.

_Great, now look what you've done. They think you're an idiot._

"S-sorry?" Kitty answers the question with one of her own.

"We were just asking what you'd like to do today," Catalina replies, her voice gentle. "We were thinking maybe lunch, some shopping, or we could go see a film?"

Kitty doesn't know what to say. Why are they asking her? Don't they have their own plans? She doesn't want to dictate their day for them, when they've already gone out of their way to bring her along. 

"Oh, um... I don't really mind." She's not lying. In all honesty, all she really needs today is to be out of the house for a while. Getting the chance to spend some time with them is all she wants. She's spent too much time lately stuck inside, barely leaving her room and letting her thoughts spiral. 

She needs this. She's been getting worse, she knows that. Thoughts and memories keep pulling her in deeper, and she's been letting herself sink with them. She needs to stop listening to that little voice in the back of her head that tells her it was all her fault; that she deserved it. The longer she spends alone, the easier it becomes to believe it. So she'd leapt at the chance to spend the day with the other Queens in the hopes that it would help to pull herself out of that place.

"Are you sure, Kat?" Jane asks, reaching behind her to gently place a hand on her knee. "We've not really got any plans either way."

Kitty thinks for a bit. She doesn't want to feel like she's making them do anything, but they clearly want to hear her suggestions. So, she lets herself blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.

"What about the park?" The weather's getting cold now, but it's sunny, and she likes the way the trees look with their burnt orange leaves scattering about the pathways. 

Both women smile at her suggestion, and turn to look at each other before, perfectly synchronised, nodding in affirmation.

"Sounds good," Jane replies, putting the car into gear. "We can go for a walk after lunch." 

She gives Kitty a warm smile through the rear view mirror, before taking off the hand-break and setting off. From the passenger seat, Catalina reaches a hand back towards her. Kitty panics. Is she supposed to take it? She can't help but agonise over it for a moment, before she ultimately opts to reach out.

She receives a light squeeze in acknowledgement. Her heart rate settles a bit, but she's still apprehensive. She isn't used to people being so open and kind and affectionate with her. Not without expecting something for themselves in return. Thinking about it makes her shudder, and the older Queen lightly circles the back of he hand with a thumb in response. It's soothing, but it doesn't stop Kitty from wondering why they're bothering.

Do they just feel guilty? They'd had the most traditionally "good" marriages to Henry out of them all, perhaps they simply feel bad for Kitty.

She shakes the thought from her head. They may not have known each other all that long, but Kitty thinks they're better than that. They don't just want to assuage their own guilt. Still, she can't make sense of what they're trying to do today.

She looks out of the window, and watches the scenery pass by; she loves taking in the sights of the city, so different now from how things used to be. It helps her to feel separate from what happened to her back then. Removed. Safe.

None of that can harm her any more.

They come into the multi-storey car park near the city centre, and circle for a few minutes before Jane lets the two of them get out, while she searches for a space. Kitty stands with Catalina near the lift, unsure of how to break the silence between them, or even if she should.

She's more than a little intimidated by the older woman. And, in fairness, she _is _a literal princess. It's not like she doesn't have reason to be. And what is Katherine but the misguided child of a family of petty social climbers who'd gotten in way over her head? Catalina is an image of all the people Kitty had never been able to keep up with in her past life. She behaves in the ways Kitty was supposed to, but could never quite replicate properly. She's the picture of nobility. Refined and composed and always able to command a room. She has the respect of all the others, even (begrudgingly) Anne. 

Next to her, Kitty feels out of place. She likes Catalina, but she doesn't know how to bridge that gap between them. She's reserved and, as much as she is confident and steadfast in her beliefs, it's clear she prefers to keep her emotions to herself, for the most part. And that's what worries Kitty. She reminds her of all the people she'd interacted with back then. Who'd all been so distant and uncaring. People like her own grandmother, who maintained a cold layer of separation, and took no action against Kitty's abuse. Who maintained their poise even while things were so clearly not okay. They played their part, and kept up their facade. And they encouraged Kitty to do the same. 

All that had done was contribute to her downfall.

But Catalina has standards, right? She's always fought for what she believes in, so maybe she's different. Kitty hopes that's the case. But she still doesn't know how to interact with her. 

"I like the hair." Catalina's voice is soft, and Kitty is taken aback by the older woman's words for a second.

Kitty had dyed it only a few days ago; a bright pink at the ends. It's a nice gesture, though it takes Kitty a few moments to compose herself enough to properly give a response.

"Oh. T-thanks." She smiles up at the taller woman.

"Pink's a good colour on you." 

"It's my favourite, I think." Kitty blushes a little. Why is she being so nice to her? She isn't used to people going out of their way for her like this. 

She hears the jangling of keys, and turns to see Jane approaching the two of them, smiling warmly. 

"You going to remember where you parked it?" Catalina inquires, raising an eyebrow at her. Jane lets out a small huff, but there's a growing smile on her face that she can't hide. 

"Definitely not." She says, with a gentle shake of her head. 

"Last week we spent an hour looking for the car because Jane thought she'd parked it on the wrong floor." Catalina whispers to Kitty, clearly picking up on her mild confusion at the discussion.

Jane rolls her eyes, though she looks a little embarrassed. 

"You could just as easily have made the same mistake!" 

The three of them pile into the lift, and Catalina taps the button for the ground floor. As they descend, Jane playfully gives her a gentle elbow in the ribs.

"Well, you didn't have to go and tell Kitty about my darkest hour." She jokes, in an overly dramatic tone.

They spend most of the time on their way to the restaurant exchanging playful jabs at each other's expense. Kitty almost feels like she's seeing something she shouldn't be. She's always seen the two of them as acting so dignified and sensible; it's odd to see them letting their hair down like this. But they're joking and teasing each other in the way that Kitty is used to seeing Anne do.

It's nice, though, seeing this other side of them both. And she's starting to feel a lot more comfortable being around the two of them like this. She doesn't feel so inclined to keep up the pretence of formality.

When they finally arrive, it's a cosy little Italian restaurant. the decor is accentuated with deep browns and reds, and photos of rural Italy adorn the walls. They find a little table in the corner, and Kitty settles into a seat facing outwards. She doesn't like to sit with her back to the rest of the room; it makes her feel nervous.

"We're getting a bottle of wine for the table, Kat, do you want some?" Jane asks her, as she leafs through the drinks menu.

Kitty thinks about it for a moment. She's never really drank much, but she likes the idea of sharing between the three of them.

"Sure." She says, with a decisive nod. She looks back to her menu and tries to settle on something to eat.

Jane leans over. "If you're hungry, the pizzas here are absolutely enormous." There's an almost child-like gleam in her eyes.

* * *

They're at the restaurant for about three hours. The food is good, the wine is good, and the company is, too. Kitty feels so comfortable around the other women. She hadn't expected to so easily fall into a rapport with them. But she's glad. The conversation is flowing easily, and she feels relaxed, and secure.

The awkward silence she's grown so used to with them both has dissipated. At times, they'll flounder, or someone won't know what to say next, but the three of them seem to be forming a connection, now. Kitty has always been afraid to speak out of turn, or to make a joke at another's expense, but the other women laugh with her, and return a jab of their own. 

She's spent so much of her life afraid to let the mask slip. Hiding her feelings and trying to please the people around her. She feels oddly liberated. And it's not that she can't be like this with the others. Anna is her dearest friend, and Anne always has some snarky joke that catches Kitty off guard and makes her laugh until it hurts. Cathy always manages to make Kitty feel at ease, as the two of them sit together, reading in comfortable silence, or listening to soft music over a coffee.

But Catalina and Jane aren't people she expected to be able to relax this way with. They've always seemed more closed-off, still caught up in the expectations placed upon them in their past lives. And, in that sense, they had felt to Kitty like a connection to that past. A past she'd prefer to distance herself from. And because of that, this dynamic between the three of them feels _important. _

Like they're going back in time, and talking directly to her past self. Telling her that she's not at fault. Telling her they're not like that any more. And that she doesn't have to be either. 

Her past is gone, and it can't hurt her any more.

When they've finally paid for the meal, and after sharing two bottles of wine at 2pm, they head for the park. On the way, they stop at a coffee shop. Kitty gets herself a mocha, and it warms her hands through the paper cup.

They reach the gates, and set off on their little walk around the park. Jane tries to plan a route from the display by the entrance, and Kitty shivers a little with the cold autumn air. She hopes to warm up once they've started walking again, but Catalina has already noticed her teeth chattering.

"Are you cold? Here." Her voice is concerned, and she pulls a pair of gloves from her pocket to hand to Kitty. 

Kitty can't help the smile that creeps onto her lips as the other woman fusses over her, and zips her coat up for her gently as she pulls the gloves on. Satisfied with the journey she's planned, Jane catches up with the two of them, and seeing Catalina's action, moves to give Kitty her own scarf as well. 

Kitty lets out a soft giggle, but their gestures are appreciated. Nobody's ever worried for her like this, at least not since she was a child. Her whole life from around the age of twelve, she had largely been left to take care of herself. There was no interest in her well-being outside of how it affected the family as a whole. She was no fool; she noticed the way their concerns for her had suddenly grown when she'd gotten a place at court, and how quickly it had faded when she'd been disgraced.

She thinks, again, about why the older queens had invited her out with them. What they had wanted from her. And she realises that they didn't want anything. It's odd to comprehend. Everyone she'd known back then—who the two of them had reminded her of—had been different. 

And she realises they aren't like those people. She doesn't know what they were like before, but at the very least, they aren't that way now. 

They care about her.

And, despite the people she has in her life now, all of her new (and old) friends; it feels almost foreign to her. She thinks about how much this would have meant to her back then. She thinks of that scared young girl, who'd spent so much of her life at the whims of other people. Who'd only ever been 'loved' by people who wanted something from her. 

The only genuine affection she'd ever really known back then had been from her mother, but she'd passed when she was so young, she barely existed as a memory in Katherine's mind. Just the vague feeling of warmth and safety. She'd barely gotten the chance to have a mother.

She links her arms with the other two women, as they stroll past the half-bare trees, the ground adorned with shades of amber, gold and crimson. 

She thinks she understands why they asked her to come. And while they still might not be able to find the words to say what they mean, Kitty hears them loud and clear. It might be nice to feel that maternal connection she's been missing for around 500 years.

The weather is still bitter and cold, but Kitty doesn't feel it so much. There's no cold that could stifle the warmth she feels.

Jane bumps her playfully with her hip, which leads to a domino effect, pushing her into Catalina, who pushes back. It devolves into the three of them trying to push each other over, and Kitty feels at ease in a way she hasn't for a while, even when she ends up on the floor. She takes Catalina down with her, of course.

She takes a moment to consider just how much her mood has shifted since this morning. She's officially out of that downward spiral. 

And as she drags herself from the ground, that warmth ignites in her chest again, and she feels loved in a way she hasn't felt since childhood. She supposes she kind of does deserve two mums now; she's waited long enough.


End file.
